30 Sep Engelhard and Kiriago win Pyrenees leg of Cape Town bound World Trail Champs
By Adnaan Mohamed
Cape Town is limbering up to welcome the world’s best trail runners in 2027, when the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships (WMTRC) finally touch African soil.
But before the Mother City takes its turn, the global spotlight was fixed this weekend on the jagged ridges of the Pyrenees, where Germany’s Nina Engelhard and Kenya’s Philemon Kiriago sprinted into legend.
Engelhard, already golden in the Uphill race, doubled her haul with victory in the Classic event at Canfranc.
Germany’s Nina Engelhard in action in the Pyrenees Mountains in Spain Photo:WMTRC
She surged clear early, leaving Uganda’s Rispa Cherop and Kenya’s Ruth Gitonga gasping in her slipstream. Even a tumble on the steep downhill couldn’t break her stride, and she stormed through the finish at the old International Railway Station in 1:11:00.
“I did active recovery over the last three days, combining ice, rest, easy runs, and other activities,” Engelhard explained.
“Even so, I felt cramps in my quads during the descent, but I managed to keep them under control and take the win.”
Gitonga grabbed silver in 1:12:54, with Switzerland’s Oria Liaci earning bronze in 1:13:15. In the team contest, Kenya ran away with gold on 14 points, ahead of the USA and Switzerland.
If Engelhard was untouchable, Kiriago was untamed. Uganda’s Martin Kiprotich burst out like a frontrunner in a 10,000m track race, but Kiriago reeled him in with patience and poise. Then, on the final descent, he swooped downhill like a peregrine falcon, breaking the tape in 1:00:38.
“I knew I had to launch my attack on the final descent, so I held back, held back, and when I went for it, I gave everything to prevent my rival from keeping up,” Kiriago said.
“I’m very happy to win in Canfranc. It’s a dream come true in a place I already knew from before.”
Kenya’s Philemon Kiriago was crowned men’s champion. Photo: WMTRC
Kiprotich settled for silver in 1:01:26, while Kenya’s Paul Machoka nabbed bronze in 1:01:31. Kenya also claimed men’s team gold with a paltry 9 points, leaving Uganda (27) and Italy (37) trailing behind.
The under-20s belonged to Uganda, who swept five of the six podium places. Titus Masau powered to men’s gold, while Germany’s Julia Ehrle broke the East African stranglehold by snatching the women’s crown.
As Canfranc bid farewell, the little Pyrenean village cemented itself as a shrine of the sport. But for South African fans, the countdown has already begun.
In 2027, the WMTRC will scale new heights in Cape Town, where Table Mountain will test the mettle of 1,200 athletes from 80 nations.
For local runners, it will be a chance to measure their stride against the world on home soil, on trails where the views are postcard-perfect, but the running is anything but forgiving.
Behind the winning Cape Town bid stand Golazo South Africa, Athletics South Africa (ASA), and Western Province Athletics (WPA).
Golazo CEO Bob Verbeeck called it “a flying start in South Africa… We will offer participants the opportunity to discover the Cape region and further promote the area as a paradise for active sports enthusiasts.”
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe hailed it as a milestone for the continent: “It is always exciting when a major athletics event is staged in a new continent for the first time… I have every faith that Cape Town will prove to be spectacular hosts.”
For WPA President Farouk Meyer, the opportunity is about much more than prestige:
WPA President Farouk Meyer Photo: Keith Linderoth
“It strengthens our commitment to grow all disciplines within athletics and gives trail running a powerful platform to thrive.
“Partnering with Golazo South Africa allows us to deliver a world-class event that will energise our local athletics community, boost participation, and create a positive ripple effect for Cape Town’s tourism economy.”
ASA President James Moloi summed it up as a stride into history:
“We look forward to working with all partners to ensure that this historic championship sets a new benchmark and reinforces Africa’s place on the global athletics map.”
FULL RESULTS OF PYREYNEES WMTRC CLASSIC IN SPAIN
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Source: https://canfrancpirineos2025wmtrc.com/ESP.index.html
